When A Star Falls
by ToffeeApples
Summary: When a few unwelcome guests chase Alex out of her own home and whisk her away to S.H.I.E.L.D, she has no choice but to accept what the world has prepared for her. Coincidence will bring her and a certain Captain together, but Fate will make him realise she'll be the one to catch him if he falls.


**A/N: This story will follow events of the Avengers movie franchise, but some happenings may be altered for the story. Acknowledgement would be very nice because then I'd know if my story sucks or not and if I should scrap it :') I've created some connections within the story but they'll be explained & understood soon enough. Hope you enjoy and review guys :D FOR AMERICA...you know what I mean. /gets slapped because I don't even live in America/**

 **Please know that while I'm quite the Marvel, Avenger's fan, I am not a dedicated expert and I may tamper with backstories and such. HYDRA is weird, so yeah.**

 **Minimum swearing and mature themes in the future, but I will give a** **warning.**

 _Words in italics are character's thoughts_

* * *

 **Chapter One**

When Steve Rogers was still a small, lanky boy back in 1942, he was pretty used to being ignored all the time. His best friend, Bucky and the girl who swept him off his feet, Peggy Carter were all he ever needed. He didn't care for a date at the pictures with a beautiful blonde. A night out for drinking with some fellows didn't exactly spike his interest either. So, when they chipped him from the ice and told him he'd been asleep for almost 70 years, Steve knew they hadn't been prepared him for this. It took him long to understand the world as it was now, and he struggled to blend in to the crowd.

Steve was now a leader, brave and passionate, with a hard-working team who were just as brave, if not, even more than himself. He had been with them for a few days and they weren't bad people to work with. But sometimes when saving the country and the Tesseract were not on his mind, Steve couldn't help but feel lonely, having no one to relate with. He was a glitch in the system.

"A man out of time." Steve muttered to himself as he watched his team members enter the room.

Clint and Natasha walked in together, Clint with a smirk on his face and Natasha's stoic like a porcelain doll. Tony and Bruce followed in after them. Tony was nagging the doctor about something again, while Bruce tried to ignore the billionaire genius with an uncomfortable expression. Thor marched up from the deck below, discussing something with Agent Coulson. He had Jane as well, who, even though she wasn't on board the ship, was working with them on ground. Steve tried not to let the thought get to him anymore, that he actually was alone in this.

"What's up Fury?" Stark announced, more than asked, as everybody sat down.

He noisily took a seat, drumming his fingers on the table and kicking his feet up.

Director Fury pursed his lips at Stark's actions but began anyway.

"We've finally been able to locate another recruit S.H.I.E.L.D's had an eye on for a long time. Her name's Alexandra Oxby, also goes by Alex and she is a target in hiding. She's done a damn good job of keeping off our radar. Or anyone else's at that fact. Agent Coulson." Fury gestured at the man to expand.

"We've been tracking her for a while now, but she's always managed to disappear from us. We spotted her in the city, only this time, we were able to get a much clearer reading of her. Here's her bio."

Coulson passed out some files to everyone. Of course, as expected from the playboy, Tony let out a low whistle, eyeing the picture attached.

"Girl's got a great figure. As good as yours, Widow."

Steve rolled his eyes, expecting Natasha to do something. The next thing he knew, a pen was flying across the room with Stark just managing to dodge it.

"Focus people." Fury barked.

Steve adverted his attention back to the girl's bio.

Alexandra Oxby. Background unknown. Known abilities included are Telekinesis, Electro-kinesis, Energy Absorption and slightly enhanced speed and strength. Currently residing in a town outside of New York City.

Steve frowned. She had apparently gotten her abilities through an imperfect experiment with one of HYDRA's smaller divisions. It happened in small, unstable town in Germany, where she fled to the US after the illegal project.

Steve finished reading and took a proper look at the picture of the girl. She was tall, his first observation of her. Her eyes were bright but alert and her hair was long, wavy and brown. She wore a fitted hoodie and Steve stopped his thoughts there. The photo captured her standing beside a pickup truck, looking over her shoulder like she knew she was being followed.

 _So, what about the girl?,_ Steve thought.

"I'm sending off a few of you to negotiate with her to join us. She will, in the end, whether she wants to or not." Fury answered his thoughts.

"Why us though? Don't you or Agent Coulson usually bring in recruits?" Steve pointed out.

"Yes, but we've decided to send the Avengers Initiative this time. She will be joining your team after all. First impressions, I guess." Fury ended with an uncanny smirk.

"So who wants to go?" Stark called.

"Not me, obviously." Bruce spoke up.

They had ruled him out anyway because he refused to leave the Helicarrier every time something came up. His fear of getting pissed off by the smallest things and causing havoc kept him inside his research lab on board.

"Natasha might scare her off." Clint pointed out amusedly. The redhead looked annoyed but nodded.

"Yeah, I agree."

"Point Break might run a hammer through her chest if she refuses." Stark commented, fiddling with the metal bracelet on his wrist. Thor uncomfortably shifted at his comment, but didn't say anything.

Steve looked around the room, surveying the choices left and sighed.

"Okay, so that leaves..."

* * *

The tiny toy houses of the town finally came into view, triggering a tired yawn from Alex.

She'd finished her delivery rounds in the city and stayed to help out at a cafe owned by Derek, Jonathan's oldest nephew.

Jonathan was the friendly old man whom she had burrowed a truck from to deliver the towns packaged goods and posts. In the last few months, Alex had become the little town's post-girl. Living far away from the city brought crappy postal services and because of that, the postal company didn't even bother sending out pickup guys anymore. Rude.

However, the town recently received a letter from the postal company, saying they're being upgraded and their areas are getting wider. The town would soon be granted with a new direct line to and from the city, which was a huge relief. Although she enjoyed helping out Jonathan and his precious wife, Margaret, Alex didn't always fancy a two hour drive to the city.

Today, she had finished later than she would've liked and by the time Alex left the city, the sun was already setting fast. Vibrant shades of orange, pink and purple painted the sky, bleeding into one another and signalling a late evening.

She quickly returned Jonathan his truck, wished him and his wife a good evening and began to walk back to her house. Alex looked up and pursed her lips, seeing a dusty darkness had already consumed the town. She pulled her hoodie over her head and further down her face, as to avoid flashing people a glimpse of her alien-like eyes.

That was another problem having unusual abilities. Yes, Alex had abnormal abilities, superpowers if you'd like. Did she like having powers? No.

But her abilities also brought side effects, like the weird thing her eyes did in the dark. They were already a pretty greyish-blue shade, but when her heartbeat increased dramatically, her irises would turn a startling sky blue that would glow in the dark. It was a troublesome privilege that forced her to be cautious in public.

Alex tugged the hood of her hoodie lower before she spotted her house in the distance and sped up.

Her house was two-story but was it was small. Everyone's houses and all the local shops were bundled together like a pile of toys, whereas Alex's house sat a little further away from the community. Old pieces of cars and shed parts stood up around her house but rather than it being a junkyard, Alex felt like it was a protective barrier of a sort.

She yawned once more, bringing her arms over her head and popping her strained shoulders. Gross but satisfying.

Alex fished the keys out of her back pocket and slotted one into the door lock, unlocking it.

Immediately, a wave of uneasiness washed over her and she held the door before it could tap against the wall. She surveyed her first floor with narrowed eyes, quietly closing the door.

The wave of uneasiness ate at her gut as Alex took tiny steps into the house. There was a wall that partly separated the front door from the kitchen and main area that made Alex feel like someone, or something was hiding there.

 _There's nothing hiding there. It's just your fear that's making you crazy right now._

Alex nodded to herself as she took back her keys from the door and pattered silently into the house.

She had taken one step past the kitchen when an arm hooked around her neck and she was harshly pulled into a muscular chest. Her heart leapt into her throat as Alex froze.

 _Shit, I knew it. They've come for me again._

The offender held a bow against her neck as well, making sure she didn't struggle. But she couldn't promise him that. Warm breath flitted across her ear and she dared not to look, in case she couldn't handle the situation.

"Don't move sweetheart, it'll make it easier for the both of us." A rough voice drawled into her ear.

Alex ignored his threat and looked around the room for something, anything. She wasn't going to be forced away again and experimented on. One time was too much already. Alex felt her heartbeat racing, her eyes were surely glowing like crazy. They desperately skimmed around the room before snapping to a stray chair a meter away from them.

Alex forced out a strained laugh. She could feel the man's grip around her tighten as she spoke.

"Sucks to be you then, 'cuz I've never really been the one for easy."

With a breath, Alex elbowed the guy in the side who let out a pained grunt and loosened his grip on her. With her enhanced strength, Alex kicked up the chair, caught the legs and swung as hard as she could at the offender. The chair smashed into pieces against the wall as he expertly leapt out of the way and in a flash, shot three arrows at her. The first one Alex had managed to swerve the other way but the other two lodged in her jacket and with amazing force, pinned her to the wall.

Alex watched the archer man lift his fingers to his ears and quickly speak a few words to someone as she struggled against the wall. She reached to pry the arrow off her but hissed as the metal was burning hot.

Left with no other choice as the arrows weren't budging, she directed all her energy towards her hand as she went to grab it again.

"Look, you don't wanna do that." The guy approached her, hands up in a 'calm down' gesture.

Clenching her teeth, Alex grabbed the arrow. Although the heat burned, she pulled it off in a second and glanced at the offender who's eyes were wise.

Flicking her wrist, Alex flipped the arrow and shot it at the archer with precise aim. He ducked out of the way and Alex used that time to swing around the couch and land a side kick on his face. With a shout, he flew back into the wall, the thin material going down in a cloud of dust.

Flattening her hand out, Alex forced the steel pipes to break out of the ceiling and move towards the archer. He let out another surprised cry as she twisted the steel pipes tightly around him so that he couldn't move. Alex then lifted him up and pinned him against the wall, jarring the ends of the pipes into the ground for good measure. Judging by his skills, he'd probably find a way to escape but that would give her plenty of time to make her own leave.

But she couldn't marvel at her victory yet. There were obviously more.

 _'You have to go. Now.'_

Alex raced up stairs, refusing to leave without her most important things. She grabbed her only family photo left from underneath her pillow and her elemental ring.

She caught sight of herself in the mirror and stopped. She thought she knew what she was doing, but her reflection said so otherwise. The mirror showed a little girl, the same little girl who was lost and frightened back in Germany. She had lost her parents and brother, with all this new and terrifying power surging through her. But that power was what was getting her out now.

Alex knew that, as she heard someone bang the door open downstairs and shouts were heard. She opened the window and grabbed hold of the railing, swinging herself out. With light actions, Alex climbed as quickly as possible down the ledges and jumped onto the ground.

It was a shame to leave this quiet countryside but it had to be done. She didn't want danger falling over these people because of one wrong move.

Alex began to run as fast as she could, not caring if they could hear her now. She had to get away and unfortunately, she'd have to do that by feet.

"Ma'am, we mean no harm! Just stop running and we'll talk!" A different voice yelled from her house.

 _Bullshit_ , Alex sourly thought as she continued to run. _They'll_ _knock me unconscious, throw me in a body bag and back to Germany._

The unnerving sound of something landing and chasing her made her sweat as she ran even faster, as fast as her abilities could take her.

The brick wall separating the town and the bush appeared, and Alex prepared to leap over it.

Suddenly, something whipped underneath her, flinging Alex off her feet and onto the ground. She scrapped her knees and hands badly in the process and groaned.

Alex looked to the side to see a shield with rings of red and silver and a star in the middle, wedged into the ground. What the...

Alex shakily got up, the impact leaving her mind fuzzy as she made out a figure running towards her and something flying in the air. Deciding to target the object in flight first, she grabbed the shield and with a turn and a grunt, launched the weapon at the thing with force. It hit the target square in its...whatever, and Alex saw a burst of sparks. One down. Her heart jumped as she eyed the sprinting figure closing in fast.

Turning back, she leaped over the wall and continued running through the rural area, scratching herself many times. It seemed quiet now minus her erratic breathing and the sound of crunching twigs and leaves as she ran.

Alex spied a large rock and a ledge which she jumped off and pressed herself flat against. She couldn't hear nor see any one of her chasers. As silently as she could, Alex shuffled the slightest bit and peered out from behind the rock.

The evening was long gone and the moon was giving her a source of light in the otherwise dark bushland. Everything was silent in the eerie, dead forest. And if you'd just been in a chase, that wasn't a good sign.

Which was right, as an arrow flew right at her face and Alex had no time to slow down it's movement as she fell back onto a tree. The arrow struck in the wood, inches away from her cheek, and she could only let out a wisp of a gasp before she was running again.

She was determined not to fall to them but her legs were aching badly. Alex continued to run through the bush until another small town appeared in sight. She entered a large clearing of tall grass and saw that nobody was in sight when she turned to look. _Looks like I lost the bastards._

Relief washed over her as she made a beeline for the tiny stores and houses. She could take refuge in their for a few minutes if necessary.

Running swiftly through the tall grass, Alex suddenly heard something like rocket engines blasting behind her and before she could react, she was knocked out cold.


End file.
